The Trials and Tribulations of Teenagers
by Skye Rocket
Summary: Fifteen years after the end of season 8, Chandler and Monica have 2 kids. And they're about to make a major change...


Trials and Tribulations of Teenagers  
Skye Rocket  
  
Disclaimer: I own the two twins, but none of the actual Friends characters. Don't sue me.   
  
A/N: So, it's come to this. I've actually written a serious piece. [all cower in fear] Yes, I know. But I was bored. And I am trying to avoid starting my homework. (True, it's only 8:54 AM as I write this, but if I have nothing to do, Mom might suggest that I do it now...)  
  
And now we are moving right along....  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
  
"What?!" Josh and I shouted at the same time.   
  
"We're moving?" I cried. Mom shrugged.   
  
"Your father just got offered a new job. In Missouri. He's been looking for a new job for a long time, and we need the money," she explained. She turned to Dad. "Right Chandler?" He nodded.  
  
"What about our friends? What about the football team?" Josh said in disbelief.   
  
"Well, I'm sure they'll have football in Missouri," Dad said coolly.   
  
"How can you do this to me?" I yelled. "I was just becoming popular, and so was Josh. Everyone had forgotten the 'paint incident' and we were moving on." Tears welled in my eyes.   
  
"Sweetie..." Mom began, but her voice trailed off.   
  
"Sarah, we aren't all that happy about this either, but we've got to do this. We're moving in two weeks, and tomorrow your mother and I are flying out to look at houses," Dad said. I buried my face in my hands and slumped back onto the sofa. Josh sighed.   
  
"Mom, what about Tyler?" I asked, tears now running freely down my cheeks like raindrops on a window. Tyler was my first boyfriend and I was sure that I loved him. Mom and Dad exchanged worried glances.  
  
"Well, it's really your choice. I mean, you could break up, or if you think that a long distance relationship will work, then by all means..." Mom said slowly. I sighed and stood up.  
  
"I don't want to talk about this," I sighed and shuffled to my room. I slammed the door and threw myself onto the bed. My head rested on my hands as I laid there. I angrily picked up the phone and called Lizzie, my best friend.  
  
"Hello?" she answered.  
  
"I'm moving to Missouri!" I cried, not waiting to greet her.  
  
"Oh, Sara, I'm so sorry," she said. I sighed. We talked for at least an hour before there was a knock on my door.  
  
"Gotta go, Lizzie," I said softly and hung up. "Who is it?" I said loudly to the person outside.  
  
"It's Josh," he said. "And it's time for dinner," he added. Josh opened the door and stepped inside.  
  
"This isn't fair," I said bitterly. Josh put his arm around me.   
  
"I know. Mom and Dad just don't care." I shrugged and stoop up.  
  
"We better go eat dinner," I said simply.  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-  
  
"Monica, this chicken is great," Dad said happily.  
  
"Thank you. What do you think, kids?" she asked, trying to stay bright.  
  
"It's okay," I muttered, not looking up from my plate.   
  
"Pretty good," Josh added. There was silence in the room. I continued nibbling at the chicken and sipping my cranberry juice.   
  
"Kids, your father and I are very sorry," Mom said softly.   
  
"Really, it's alright," I lied. "As long as I have a phone card and my laptop, I'm good to go." I set back to eating my food.  
  
"Yeah, and I'm sure that they play football in Missouri," Josh added from the chair next to me. Mom and Dad smiled at each other.  
  
"Really?" Dad asked us. I shrugged.   
  
"Yeah. Really. It's fine," I said, forcing a smile. In the back on my mind, I wondered what I could possibly be thinking. I slowly chewed on a mouthful of banana bread.   
***  
The next day Mom and Dad awoke early to catch their flight. It was still dark when I heard them moving about out in the living room. I rolled over and stared at the door. Nothing stirred in the room, and the only sounds were Dad and Mom walking around and talking quietly as not to wake us.   
  
Soon the door opened quietly, emitting a small creak. I snapped my eyes shut quickly. Mom and Dad walked through the door, sneaking about. Each of them slowly bent and gave me a small kiss on the cheek. They left the room just as they had come and I fell asleep in a few minutes.  
***  
After a few hours I woke up and walked out the door as I had so many times before. Josh sat at the kitchen table with his feet on top of it, eating a cold piece of pizza.   
  
"Are you sure Mom doesn't care if you eat that for breakfast?" I said sleepily as I turned on the coffee pot.   
  
"So what?" he said with his mouth full of tomato sauce and cheese. I folded my arms as my coffee prepared itself. Once my cup was full, I sat next to Josh.   
  
"So, what do you want to do this weekend?" Josh asked, leafing through a sports magazine. He ran a hand over his well gelled, spiky brown hair and sighed.   
  
"Um," I began, thinking hard. "I'm going to rent some movies, paint my toenails, buy some new shampoo..." Josh made a face.   
  
"Besides that, Sarah," he said as the microwave went of, signifying that his next piece of pizza was finished.   
  
"How about we look for the Christmas presents?" I asked. Josh looked up from his plate.   
  
"Sarah, we aren't kids anymore," my twin said with a scowl. His face split into a grin. "Just kiddin', sure we can." Josh and I were fifteen, and even though the two of us tried being mature, Josh still had a childish spark to him. I sipped from the mug of my java.  
  
I wrapped my robe around myself and stood up. I motioned to Josh and he stood up hurriedly. We scurried into our parent's room. Josh flung open the closet and rummaged around, carelessly shoving aside the clothes that Mom had so meticulously organized. I sat on the bed.  
  
"Josh, what do you *really* think of moving to Missouri?" I asked, picking at a loose thread on the quilt. Josh sighed.  
  
"Honestly?" he asked. I bobbed my head invitingly. "I think it sucks!" I laughed.  
  
"Are you sure that Mom would put the presents in here?" I asked.   
  
Josh shrugged. "I have no idea. But we have all weekend to search every square inch of this place." I clapped my hands.  
  
*-*-*-*-*-*-*Two Days Later...  
  
"We're home!" Mom said, coming into the door. I sat perched in Dad's chair watching TV with a bowl of popcorn in my lap.   
  
"Hey," Josh and I said, not taking our eyes away from the TV set.   
  
"We found this great house. It's kind of near the river," Dad said.   
  
"That's great!" I said.   
  
"Well, we got some boxes, so if it's all right, we could start packing," Mom said. Packing. The word hit me like a slap in the face. It brought back the cold, stark fact: I was leaving behind everything I'd ever known. The home I'd grown up in, up until this point. My friends. My aunts and uncles.   
  
"What about Chille?" I asked suddenly. Dad sighed.  
  
"A six foot iguana can live in Missouri," he assured me.   
  
"Just checking," I sighed. I picked up one of the boxes that Mom had mentioned and carried it into my room. I opened my closet and began packing.  
  
*-*-*-*-*  
  
The days seemed to slip by as quickly as sand in an hourglass. Mom was in a frenzy, constantly shoving things into neatly labeled boxes, worrying about the time she thought we didn't have. Josh was calm and put things into random boxes instead of worrying. Dad tried to stay out of Mom's way, but succeeded in making her angry. I worked as diligently as possible, but to Mom, no one cleaned just right, let alone packed in the correct manner. Chille seemed to be the only one not fazed by the whole thing.  
  
Soon it was the night before the biggest change in plain life so far. That night, Josh and I slept out in the living room in sleeping bags. Mom and Dad had already sent our furniture with the truck that evening. I looked about our bare apartment. It had lost what had made it so cozy. Now it was generic and seemed like anyone could have lived here. But they didn't. We did.  
  
My parents had started their lives together here. They'd spent all of their free time with their best friends, who became live our second and third set of parents. When Mom or Dad was being particularly unbearable, we'd go to them.   
  
Ross, Rachel, Joey and Phoebe. There'd be no more Uncle Ross helping me with science homework. No Aunt Phoebe to go antique shopping with me. No Uncle Joey to give Josh unsuccessful dating advice (but it's the thought that counts, no?). And no Aunt Rachel to give me advice when Mom couldn't.   
  
I couldn't imagine living without them.  
  
-----  
  
  
Well? What'd you think? [hopeful grin] Ah well. A lot different from my usual junk. Hrmph. Am I going to be serious now? Augh! Not that! OK, I am writing another chapter. Soon. When I get motivated.   
  
Until We Meet Again,  
Skye 


End file.
